PHP powers most of the web, so why aren’t new developers learning it?

Insights from the 2026 PHP Landscape Report on demographics, deployment, and the growing talent shortage.

PHP is a powerful server-side scripting language designed for web development. Its primary strength lies in its ability to create dynamic web pages that respond to user input, database content, and session state. I’ve used these tools to build inventory management systems, educational forums, and blogging platforms for students and staff alike.

Far from fading into irrelevance, PHP continues to power substantial portions of the web. The 2026 PHP Landscape Report by Perforce offers a revealing snapshot of where PHP stands today, showing its evolution into a mature, security-conscious, enterprise-ready platform.

Who’s using PHP: Developer demographics and experience levels

One of the report’s key findings is that PHP remains widely used among seasoned developers. Over half (53%) of engineers have used PHP for 15 years or more. An additional 18% have used it for up to 15 years, while 14% have worked with it for up to 10 years. Newer users with less than five years of experience account for just 8% of the developer population.

This demographic trend reveals an aging PHP developer base, which raises important questions about attracting new talent to the community.

Where PHP developers work. Most PHP users come from the technology sector, accounting for 31% of survey respondents, followed by consulting and professional services at 21%, and education or research at 9%. Geographically, most respondents are headquartered in Europe, with only 23% coming from North America.

Company size matters. The majority of PHP users work at smaller organizations. Nearly half (48%) work at companies with fewer than 20 employees, and 69% work at companies with fewer than 100 employees. Over 75% of development teams consist of 10 or fewer individuals. This suggests PHP remains particularly strong in small- to medium-sized organizations where flexibility and rapid development matter.

Read more: Why open source is critical for the continued advancement of new tech

Deployment trends and development priorities

When asked about development priorities, respondents ranked developing new features as their top concern. Security came next, followed by improving code quality, deployment automation, and finally, performance optimization. This emphasis on security and code quality reflects PHP’s maturation as an enterprise platform.

How PHP is deployed. Deployment preferences show interesting shifts. 58% of applications are deployed on-premises, followed by 31% on Amazon Web Services, and 30% on other platforms. For the first time in the report’s five-year history, NGINX outpaced Apache as the top web infrastructure tool, signaling a shift in how PHP applications are served.

The takeaway: PHP endures and adapts

The 2026 PHP Landscape Report reveals PHP’s resilience as a vital component of modern web development. Despite competition from newer technologies, PHP remains the preferred choice for many developers, particularly in small- to medium-sized organizations where its flexibility and mature ecosystem provide real advantages.

The aging developer demographic highlights a challenge: The PHP community needs to attract new talent. But the emphasis on security, feature development, and code quality shows that existing teams are investing in PHP’s future, not just maintaining legacy systems.

As deployment preferences and web infrastructure evolve, PHP continues to adapt. The platform that powers much of the web isn’t going anywhere. It’s maturing, securing itself, and positioning for continued relevance in dynamic web development for years to come.

More from We Love Open Source

• A developer’s guide to modern data infrastructure
• Open source without data portability isn’t real freedom
• Open source is critical infrastructure, not just a development model
• Why open source is critical for the continued advancement of new tech
• The AI slop problem threatening open source maintainers